had been referred to committees, appointed for investigating them, with a minuteness and attention, of which a large assembly was incapable. And considerable progress was made by the committees, in their researches on this important subject; as it was intended to follow up their report, with a legislative measure of great importance. But the whole of this inquiry, the causes in which it originated, and the consequences which it produced, must be reserved for the subject of a separate chapter.

CHAP. II.

Affairs of India-Rigorous Policy adopted by Mr. HastingsAppointment of Committees of Inquiry by the House of Commons, for the Investigation of Abuses in the Government of India-Report of the Committees-Proceedings against Sir Thomas Rumbold and others-Meeting of Parliament-Mr. Fox's India Bills-Debates on themStrongly opposed by Mr. Pitt-Petitions against the Bills, from various commercial Bodies-Carried through the House of Commons by a great Majority-Highly disapproved by the Public-Discussions in the House of Lords -Lord Thurlow heads the Opposition; and panegyrizes Mr. Hastings-Bills rejected on the second ReadingUnconstitutional Proceedings of the Commons-Ministers dismissed with Disgrace-New Administration-Mr. Pitt, Prime Minister.

THE affairs of India had, for a long time, occupied the occasional attention of Parliament, and had given rise to the appointment of two committees, who were instructed to investigate the concerns of the East India Company, and the conduct of their servants, with a degree of

attention and minuteness, proportioned to the magnitude of the measures intended to be founded on the result of their inquiries. Mr. Warren Hastings was, at this period, Governor-General of Bengal, and, by the adoption of a vigorous and decisive line of policy, he had succeeded in detaching the Mahrattas from the formidable league which threatened the dissolution of our empire in that quarter of the globe; had punished the Rajah of Benares, for an imputed infraction of an existing treaty, and for the hostile intentions which he was said to entertain, by expelling him from all his strong fastnesses, driving him into exile, and transferring his possessions to another branch of his family;-and had, in fact, resisted every effort to crush the power, or to injure the interests, of Britain, by the creation, as it were, of means and resources, without which the British dominions in India must have speedily disappeared. For the accomplishment of this mighty end, he was reproached with having recourse to measures of injustice, violence, and oppression, particularly in his conduct to Cheit Sing, the deposed Rajah of Benares; and the whole of his policy, indeed, was exposed to much bitter reproach, and afterwards became the subject of parliamentary investigation.

Before this period, however, the attention

of the House of Commons had been frequently directed to Indian affairs; and early in the year 1781, the two India Committees, before alluded to, had been appointed. Of these, one was a select committee, and the other a secret committee. The object of the first was, to take into consideration the state of the administration of justice in the provinces of Bengal, Bahar, and Orixa; and to consider how the British possessions in the East Indies might be held and governed with the greatest security and advantage to this country; and by what means the happiness of the native inhabitants might be best promoted. By such instructions, it will be perceived, an immense field of inquiry was opened to the committee, and a vast scope afforded for the promulgation of speculative opinions, and for the display of theoretical ingenuity. They implied, too, the possession of such practical and local knowledge as few members could be supposed to possess; though, without it, none could be qualified to give a satisfactory account of the best means of promoting the happiness of the numerous tribes which then peopled the British dominions in the east. The second committee was directed to inquire into the causes of the war in the Carnatic, and of the condition of the British possessions in those parts.

Mr. Henry Dundas, who was then Lord

Advocate of Scotland, was chairman of the se cret committee, and produced their report to the House of Commons on the 9th of April, 1782; on which occasion he took a comprehensive view of the subject referred to their consideration, in a speech, the delivery of which occupied three hours. He imputed the calamitous condition of our eastern territories, chiefly, to a departure from the policy prescribed to the Company's servants, of undertaking no military operations for the purpose of conquest; to the corrupt interposition of those servants in the private or public disputes of the native powers; to their frequent breaches of faith, and contempt of treaties; to their peculation, and scandalous oppression of the natives; and, finally, to the encouragement afforded to such proceedings by the conduct of the directors at home, who neglected to adopt the means within their power, for repressing, and for punishing, the abuses of those servants, and who were even charged with connivance at the most criminal abuses, when calculated to increase their profits.

From general charges, which are more easily advanced than confuted, Mr. Dundas descended to particulars, and stated specific acts of the government of India, which deserved the character which he had given of them. These chiefly related to the support of unjust wars; to the